Millennium Democrat Han Takes 100 Million Won Bribe

The prosecution has verified that former Chief of Staff Han Kwang-ok, now a member of the Supreme Council of the Millennium Democratic Party, received at least 100 million won from the former Bosung Group chairman. The DA`s office announced yesterday that it would subpoena Han as a material witness on May 12.

The prosecution notified Han of its decision, but once it is verified that Han actually received money in return for political influence in Nara Bank receiving government support, the DA`s office plans to charge him with aggravated bribery, and indict him.

The prosecution reportedly gained some circumstantial evidence showing that former Bosung Chairman Kim Ho-joon and former Nara President Ahn Sang-tae visited then Presidential Chief of Staff Han, and handed him 100 million won with the phrase, "Please help Nara Bank out."

According to authorities, former president Ahn withdrew several hundred million won out of Kim`s account purportedly a 10 billion won slush fund. After several occasions of money laundering Ahn then "doled out" the bribes to politicians. In the process, the prosecution suspects, Han took some of the bribes.

In addition, when Han ran for a National Assembly post in Marc 1999, he also received millions of won from Ahn, said the prosecution.

Han, however, denied all charges and was quoted as saying: "I know former chairman Kim, but I hadn`t received any money from him. I have nothing to hide. I will fully cooperate with the prosecution."

The prosecution also arrested former Financial Supervisory Service head Lee Keun-yong yesterday on bribery charges. Lee allegedly received 48 million from Ahn. In the preceding arraignment at the Seoul District Court, Lee alleged: "I received 10 million and 5 million from my hometown pal Ahn as gift of appreciation. But it was just a token of appreciation. I did not promise any favors in return for the money."

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